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Cal Poly victory tarnished by brawl

The Cal Poly Pomona men’s basketball team picked up a huge win, defeating Humboldt State 69-47.It was a huge win for many reasons. It establishes the Broncos (8-0, 4-0) as the team to beat in the CCAA, based on the teams it has already beaten.

But the buzz afterward was more about the brawl that took place at the 8-minute mark of the second half and resulted in the ejection of four players – two from each team.Suspensions are sure to follow.

The game wasn’t chippy and there was no previous altercation leading up to the skirmish. The referees were letting the teams play so there was some frustration on both sides that more fouls were not called.

CPP led 49-42 with 7:50 left. There was a rough scramble for a loose ball at the CPP end and CPP’s DeRonn Scott and Humboldt’s Deaundry Robinson were exchanging pleasantries. CPP’s Shannon Sharpe then interjected himself and began getting into a shoving match with Robinson and Darren Turpin.

The worst offender was CPP’s Mohamed Fall, who came racing off the bench to the Humboldt end where he hurled a punch at Austin Bryan, then jumped on top of him. (That happened right in front of me.)

That’s when benches cleared.

Most were trying to break it up but a young Humboldt assistant coach was an aggressor, which angered the Cal Poly folks.

The referees restored order and ejected the proper participants – Fall, Sharpe, Robinson and Turpin. All will get the mandatory one-game suspension but the CCAA can assess more games.

Broncos coach Greg Kamansky said he will appeal any suspension more than a game, based on what the office has issued in the past. Two years ago a player from CS Dominguez Hills cold-cocked a CS Stanislaus player in the back of the head, an offense which most other coaches thought should have been season-ending. And he got just one game.

Both teams have no history of such incidents. The only other one Kamansky can remember from his team was back in 2006 and involved Kaelen Daniels.

The player likely in the most trouble would be Fall, who might get an extra game for leaving the bench.

Fortunately for Humboldt it’s next game is a non-conference tilt with lowly Pacifica.

Cal Poly’s next game is a CCAA game against UC San Diego which is currently in last-place but is well-coached and can be a tough foe.

Cal Poly athletic director Brian Swanson said the schools are likely to be notified early next week. Stay tuned!